this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2025
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Altered clients' photos causing headaches for immigration advisers (www.rnz.co.nz)
submitted 2 months ago by Dave@lemmy.nz to c/newzealand@lemmy.nz
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Immigration New Zealand says 1000 people each week submit photos that have been filtered or airbrushed.

The agency receives about 20,000 visa requests per week, so about one in 20 photos has been altered.

On Friday, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment deputy secretary Alison McDonald told the Association for Migration and Investment conference in Auckland that the number of touched-up pictures was increasing and was creating big problems.

"We've got more and more applicants applying, having kind of morphed their photos using AI or filters.

"If you see your client and they don't look like the picture, find yourself - if you can - a really nice way to point out that they're not that beautiful."

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[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I remember DIA also having a similar problem even before generative AI. People would take passport photos with the front camera, which on some phones automatically mirrors the image and may do automatic touch ups. Then the person can't use the e-gates because the passport image check fails.

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz 3 points 2 months ago

I'd be so pissed off if I found out my phone was editing photos I took without me asking it to.

[–] ook@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 2 months ago (2 children)

"If you see your client and they don't look like the picture, find yourself - if you can - a really nice way to point out that they're not that beautiful."

The fuck is that statement? Just tell them they are ugly and there is nothing they can do... seriously? How about just telling the truth, they need to submit an unaltered picture, no filters or other changes. Some brain acrobatics right there just to be mean to people.

[–] RegalPotoo@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago

How about "hey, just as a reminder, submitted false information to INZ is an offence that may result in fines, cancellation of visa or prison, and this includes misrepresenting your appearance. Did you want to submit a new photo?"

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz 1 points 2 months ago

I had the same thought. Just tell them you can't retouch your photos.